News

The Harvard Law shield tied to slavery is already disappearing, after corporation vote

Publisher: The Washington Post

March 15, 2016

Jim Bowers was quoted in an article,"The Harvard Law shield tied to slavery is already disappearing, after corporation vote" in The Washington Post. Jim, an alum of Harvard Law School and member of the Executive Committee of the Harvard Law School Association, was part of a committee which recommended that the shield – which was modeled on the family crest of an 18th century slaveholder and initial benefactor of the Law School — should be changed. "Deciding whether to retire the shield was a difficult decision," Jim was quoted in the article. "After witnessing a growing divisiveness within the community over the use of the shield, and considering the shield’s short vintage, I decided the greater equity lies in preserving harmony within the community."